One woman's "Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in [Her Own] Universe."

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The Big Reorg

So Rob (my son) has officially moved out, and I am flinging myself headlong into the sorting out and getting rid of. Over the next few months I expect to keep the trash, recycling and donation centers very busy. I started with the kitchen - the pantry got a good going over, and the kitchen cabinets are almost done. Now I'm moving around the house as the spirit takes me. The linen closet is done, and I'm starting on the closet in the spare bedroom. I'm finding things I didn't even remember I had, keeping what I still like, and donating what I know I will no longer use. It feels great to see how much stuff is leaving the house.

My new partner in crime is Dylan, a long-haired, gray tuxedo kitten. As with any baby, life and the world are exciting adventures for him, and almost every new discovery an opportunity! His joy at an afternoon or evening of open cabinets and stuff littering every possible surface is exceeded only by his endless curiosity. When he has exhausted himself (and me) he curls up on my chest and under my chin, purring loudly until he falls into a contented sleep. I had really been missing our cat Sapphire who passed away last June, so Dylan came into my life at just the right time.

I'm also sorting out and reorganizing finances. It hasn't been easy, and there have been some crises along the way, but I've started a conversation with my mortgage company about my short term objectives as well as my long range plans. The President's Making Home Affordable Act will reduce my monthly mortgage payment as well as my interest rate. I'm cutting out and/or paring down utilities and services where appropriate now that I'm the only one using them. It will take a few months to arrive at a steady state I suppose, but that's ok.

One of the next steps will be to get back to the tiny house research. I've collected more information since my last post on that topic and intend to share it via this blog in the next few weeks. Right now I can't see how I can make the jump from my current house to a tiny house without some kind of a transitional phase, so I'm trying to figure that one out too. I'm even thinking about living in an RV for a year or two, and in February will take in the Maryland RV show. How bad could it be? This IS about being daring after all!

That's the progress report at this point. It's been a trying couple of weeks, so it's good to sit back and review the progress. It helps me maintain a positive outlook when I'm having a hard time being happy.